Thanks for your reply Chris.

FSA = "The Financial Services Authority is the main City regulator whose job is to protect investor's' interests."

We are having the largest financial scandal in history because the FSA did not stand up, keep its finger on the pulse and regulate as it should have done. I would suggest that if you stood up and properly regulated the motor trade then over half of the garages in the country would not comply and would cease trading (that's IF legislation was brought in).

Now to be honest, this is what should happen, but I very much doubt that you will loose the chance of income and you will be just like the RMIF and MVRA etc etc and want increasing membership.

Can you please tell us exactly what is the criteria for being accepted or indeed being refused entry to the code?

As I see it, if the Trading Standards Officials had got off their backsides and done something about the rouges out there in the first place then I doubt there would be the threat of a super complaint and hence no need for codes of any description. The same could be said regarding planning departments who turn a blind eye to fred in his shed, who then undercuts others due to his lower overheads, and has not registered with the environment agency for waste disposal - but they don't police that either. It just goes on and on and on. Nobody appears to do anything unless there is a fine or fee involved.

I am told I can't play a radio without paying a fee. On TV the other night was a bloke who had been fined £300 for taking his empty sandwich bags home with him as it was classed as trade waste. So you have to ask yourself "Why in this country can anybody become a motor mechanic overnight and get away with it".

If all motor factors and trade associations put their money where their mouth is and refused to supply anybody who has not been vetted and proved to be legitimate this would stop an awful lot of the problems, but again - what makes them legitimate? Is it Skills - past or present, equipment - old or modern, fancy glass premises or what?


Graham